Cabo San Lucas, in Mexico, drew the author and her new husband for their buddymoon with two pals. Source: Supplied

TWO days after my Melbourne wedding, I was sitting next to my new hubby on a plane to Los Angeles en route to Cabo San Lucas, Mexico.

In the seats behind us were my brother and his girlfriend.

With the knowledge it would be just the two of us from now on, we decided to pack our pals and turn our honeymoon into a buddymoon.

It's nothing new for a bride and groom to have a travel gift registry, but it's becoming increasingly common for the happy couple to plan a getaway with some equally happy friends.

Candlelit dinners and walks on the beach make way for group tours and share accommodation.

A buddymoon is cost-effective - we shared the price of two-bedroom suites and apartments and we perfectly filled a taxi, splitting the cost four ways.

We were much more likely to walk into venues that seemed daunting or stay out and socialise because we were in a group. And having someone else there ready to snap a photo of the two of you together also had its advantages (no more squinty selfies).

We're not alone in our idea to continue the wedding celebration for weeks at an exotic destination.

Meg Koffel, spokeswoman for Intrepid at the time, says the small-group adventure company is certainly seeing a trend towards couples choosing to spend their honeymoons as part of a group.

"This trend isn't surprising given many couples are living together prior to marriage and with only four weeks leave a year, they are choosing to spend their leave with friends," she says.

Key Intrepid destinations for buddymoons are Vietnam, the US, Thailand and Croatia.

"We are seeing couples inquiring about our sailing trips where couples can book out a whole boat (eight berths) and sail with a private chef in Thailand," Koffel says.

The experience would usually be out of reach for many newlyweds, but can work out to be a bargain if shared with others.

Contiki has seen a rise in honeymooners not deterred by being surrounded by excited travellers.

Managing director Fiona Hunt says over the years she has seen a growing number of newlywed couples choose to take a Contiki tour for their honeymoon.

"It's the perfect choice for young couples as it provides the trip of a lifetime at fantastic value for money, which is an important consideration after hefty wedding costs," Hunt says.

"Being able to share some of these moments with other like-minded young travellers makes it even more special."

But is the point of a honeymoon - time alone - lost in a group situation? It doesn't have to be, Hunt says.

"It doesn't mean that quality time is cancelled out," she says.

"Each itinerary includes plenty of free time to explore as a couple, creating the perfect balance of one-on-one time and fun group experiences."

Melbourne couple Roger Oldridge and Catherine Sweeney took the "honey" out of their honeymoon and travelled with five friends to the US over Christmas and New Year.

"When you're overseas and living in each other's pockets more than you would at home, it does help having friends there for a change of dynamics," Oldridge says. "Having others to share those experiences makes it even more special."

The newlyweds were away for weeks and say having familiar faces around "took the edge off the homesickness".

Deana Tynan, public relations manager for Flight Centre, says the overseas buddymoon is a growing trend.

"The idea of taking your friends and family away with you to celebrate the occasion has become so popular because it's often seen as an excellent reason for everyone to take a holiday together and continue the party in another location," Tynan says.

"A lot of couples have been combining their wedding nuptials with the honeymoon in the same location.

"Popular destinations are somewhere exotic like Fiji, Thailand or Bali, somewhere further away like Hawaii or Mexico, or closer to home in the Whitsundays."

Tynan says a buddymoon can prove to be a lot cheaper too, with many resorts providing special rates on group bookings.

Craig Hudson, who together with Jorge Silva created Mexico City bed and breakfast The Red Tree House, says friends considering sharing a Mexican vacation would be suited to the penthouse, which has a living room and rooftop patio. It's the most popular and best suited for a gathering of a few friends, he says.

"One can mingle with the other interesting guests in the garden or have a glass of wine in the evening but still have your own beautiful space as a retreat," Hudson says.

For larger groups there's La Rama, a five-bedroom house across the street."For friends travelling together, this means that there is always someone at the front desk who will help you plan your day, arrange transportation, reserve a restaurant you would appreciate, or suggest places not to be missed," Hudson says.

"They are also the gracious hosts who will greet you when you arrive home, offer you a glass of wine and introduce you other interesting fellow travellers. We are proud of the fact that many lasting friendships have begun here."

With offices in Sydney and Melbourne, Honeymoon Planners travel agency specialises in worldwide honeymoons. Manager Ana Marjanovic says the buddymoon idea might have come from Australia's migrant community, many of whom journey to the country their families came from straight after the wedding.

"This would mean they are spending a lot of their honeymoon with family and friends," she says.

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